SA-built Toyota GR Hilux wins inaugural World Rally-Raid Championship
Johannesburg - As if winning the Dakar was not enough, Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa has become the winning manufacturer in the inaugural Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) held in Spain in October.
This appears to be the first time that a car manufactured in South Africa has won a world championship.
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel, scooped the overall win in their GR DKR Hilux T1+, bringing home the W2RC title.
Hallspeed, a South African company, has been at the forefront of the racing industry since the mid-1990s, competing not only on local soil, but around the world. The company has focused on growing its internal resources over the years and is now a fully-fledged engine development facility.
“This really is a stunning result not only for our drivers but for the 40+ Hallspeed employees who have worked so relentlessly on the car,” said Team Principal Glyn Hall. “Many of these have been with us for over 20 years offering amazing continuity and stability and the results clearly demonstrate this.
“The final stage in Andulisia (Spain) was really tough for our drivers resulting in a nail biting six second difference, and the team having to settle for second place. It was nevertheless a fantastic result and we still managed to rack up enough points overall to win the W2RC title as a whole and bring the championship back to South Africa so to speak.
“We started the season with a win at the Dakar Rally, and managed to make the most of our opportunities throughout the season to win the inaugural World Rally-Raid Championship title. The GR DKR Hilux T1+ has proven itself yet again, and we are extremely proud of everything we’ve achieved this year,” Hall concluded.
IOL Motoring